Poland, Ukraine condemn Russian attack near border

KYIV (AFP) — Poland and Ukraine condemned Russian strikes near the Polish border Sunday after a Warsaw-bound train was hit shortly after trains carrying European officials and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson passed through the area.

Ukraine’s rail operator said the passenger train was struck about 2 kilometers from the Polish border. No casualties were reported.

Johnson and former CIA director David Petraeus had been traveling on separate trains near the area around the time of the attack.

Petraeus told The New York Times he heard Russian drones followed by an explosion that prompted passengers to evacuate.

Johnson condemned the attack, saying it reflected the threats Ukrainian civilians face daily, including on civilian railways.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Moscow “deliberately” targeted the locomotive.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk convened an emergency meeting following the strikes and warned that Russia could escalate its attacks in the coming weeks.

“We cannot exclude that the escalation will also affect our territory... I hope not,” Tusk said.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski called for allies to increase support for Ukraine.

“This was just a few hundred meters from the Polish border, this affects the safety of my countrymen,” Sikorski said.

Russia said it targeted “railway infrastructure used to transport military cargo” from European countries.